Whether gasoline for transportation, water for drinking and cleaning, or natural gas for heating homes, America’s pipeline infrastructure provides its citizens with the resources essential for daily life. So how is America’s infrastructure doing? Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers assigns a grade to the current state of U.S. infrastructure. Each of 16 categories—including drinking water, ports and wastewater—is evaluated based on capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety and resilience.

In 2013, the ASCE gave America’s infrastructure the grade of D+. A rating of D means, “The infrastructure is in poor to fair condition and mostly below standard, with many elements approaching the end of their service life. A large portion of the system exhibits significant deterioration. Condition and capacity are of significant concern with strong risk of failure.” This translates to a need for much of America’s infrastructure to be rebuilt. In order to make the necessary repairs by 2020, the cost of the materials and the labor of welders, pipefitters, and other skilled tradesmen is estimated to be more than $3.6 trillion.

America’s Aging Pipeline Infrastructure

America began using natural gas in the late 1800s and early 1900s, which is slightly later than when the oldest pipelines were installed. Since that time, pipefitters and welders have built more than 2.5 million miles of gas, water, sewage, and oil pipelines. Today, more than half of America’s pipelines are at least 50 years old and are rapidly deteriorating. One expert named Rob Jackson, who is a professor at Duke and Stanford, remarked that the pipes built at the turn of the 20th century were “state-of-the-art” back then but outdated now. Many were either cast iron, which can turn brittle and burst, or steel, which is prone to corrosion.

These pipes of the 1900s weren’t designed to last a hundred years. Just last spring, a 127-year-old gas pipeline exploded in New York, claiming the lives of eight people. In Los Angeles, 20% of the water lines are more than 85 years old and water main breaks regularly flood neighborhoods. More than a million dollars has been earmarked by the Department of Water and Power to replace over 400 miles of pipeline.

Hazards Posed By Aging Pipelines

Pipeline accidents, including huge ruptures, leaks, and explosions during repair, have killed more than 500 people since 1986. Few in California can forget the 2010 pipeline accident in San Bruno that hurt 50 people, killed eight, and left a crater in the ground half the size of a basketball court. A federal investigation found that the pipeline would not have stood up to today’s pressure regulations. However, since the pipeline was installed in 1956 prior to the implementation of those regulations, it was exempt from them.

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While most pipefitting schools teach the importance of regularly checking and maintaining pressure within lines, the government agency charged with overseeing America’s pipelines, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, only requires seven percent of the country’s natural gas lines to be inspected.

Repairing America’s Aging Infrastructure

Government organizations are beginning to carefully scrutinize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Regulatory and reconstruction measures have been implemented, but replacing more than 2.5 million miles of old, deteriorating pipelines is a huge endeavor. Pipefitters have begun replacing the oldest lines of pipe and installing pressure sensors in the most sensitive areas.

Accessing potentially unstable pipelines is dangerous, as leaking gas has the potential to explode when it comes into contact with an ignition source during pipeline repair. Old shut-off valves may malfunction or require extensive work to make repairs to a single section of pipe. Today, pipefitters and welders install automatic shutoff valves on newer pipelines to reduce the chances of explosion due to leaking lines. Vocational schools also train pipefitters extensively in areas of safety and best practices to avoid injury.

A Congressional Research Report recommends replacing manual valves with automatic shutoff valves countrywide, starting with densely populated areas. The roughly 30,000 valve replacements will translate into $12 billion worth of labor for some of the highest paid pipefitters: those working in the oil and gas industry, where a mean annual pipefitter salary is $57,580. $12 billion is a conservative estimate when considering the costs associated with shutting down large sections of lines or moving above ground structures prior to the installation of such valves.

The Important Role of Pipefitters

As efforts to replace and repair America’s aging infrastructure continue, so too will a demand for the pipefitters, welders, and skilled tradesmen who initially played an integral role in its creation, proving these skills are as important to the proper functioning of the country as ever. Learn how to join the forces of men and women playing a pivotal role in the safety of their countrymen by contacting Tulsa Welding School today.

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Accredited School, ACCSC. TWS-Jacksonville located at 1750 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32216 is recognized by ACCSC as a satellite location of TWS-Jacksonville located at 3500 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32216. Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (TWSTC) in Houston and TWS-Jacksonville are branch campuses of Tulsa Welding School, located at 2545 E. 11th St., Tulsa, OK 74104. Tulsa, OK campus is licensed by OBPVS and ASBPCE. Jacksonville, FL campus is licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, License No. 2331. TWSTC and TWS in Tulsa, OK are approved by TWC. TWS in Jacksonville is licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration, License No. C-668. Licensure indicates only that minimum standards have been met; it is not an endorsement or guarantee of quality. Licensure is not equivalent to or synonymous with accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. TWS in Jacksonville is also regulated by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Office for Career and Technical Schools, 10 N. Senate Ave, Suite SE 308, Indianapolis, IN 46204; OCTS@dwd.in.gov; 317-234-8338 or 317-232-1732; http://www.in.gov/dwd/2731.htm. GI Bill® Eligible (check with local campus for specific eligibility). The AOSWT program is an Associate of Occupational Studies degree program and is not an academic degree. The AOSWT program is not approved for the following states: CO, GA, LA, MN, and TX. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who complete our programs, and other important information, please visit our website at: http://www.weldingschool.com/student-resources/regulatory-information/.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

For students who started and completed their training during the 12-month period for which 150% of normal time for completion has elapsed and who attained employment in their field of study as outlined on our annual ACCSC accreditation report dated July, 1, 2106. Total number of graduates employed in the field for all TWS campuses (1304), divided by total number of eligible graduates (1641), equals 79%.

*According to 2015 IPEDS data TWS has the largest total combined enrollment of students for all post-secondary schools in the U.S. with the designated largest program of CIP Code Welding Technology/Welder.

**Financial aid available to those who qualify. Check with campus for scholarship eligibility.

1 Total number of estimated graduates for TWS calculated based on historic data available as of 1/20/16.

2 Tulsa area annual mean wage is $45,470, Jacksonville area annual mean wage is $39,950 and Houston area annual mean wage is $49,860 for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers (514121) reported by BLS as of May 2016 http://data.bls.gov/oes. Average starting salary for Professional Welder is $33,415 for TWS Tulsa, $31,764 for Jacksonville, and TWSTC is $34,257 for graduates employed during the 12 month period of 7/1/15-6/30/16.